Simon suspension falls short
Thursday, December 20, 2007 | 01:44 PM ET
I think Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke said it best yesterday on Hockey Night in Canada Radio when referring to Colin Campbell’s job of disciplining players, “When you do that job, you’re stupid every day” meaning that someone calls you stupid every single day and it’s usually from both sides of any suspension.
And I don’t think Campbell has faced a tougher decision than the one he had to make most recently on the Islanders Chris Simon after the forward pulled an Archie Gouldie and stomped on the foot of Penguins super pest Jarkko Ruutu. And while I would short of calling Campbell stupid, I do think the suspension falls short.
The purpose of any suspension is twofold:
1) Punish the player for the offence
2) Ensure the punishment acts as a deterrent for any player in the league from behaving in a similar if not exact action.
And as it relates to Chris Simon, this suspension, while a little bit closer to the first criteria, has done very little in my opinion to address the purpose of punishment. So let’s measure this up against the criteria above.
Was 30 games enough? This one is always the most challenging. How do you come up with a number that fits the offence? We’ve seen attacks with the fists, sticks, heck we’ve even seen players (Martin Havlat) kick people with the toe of their boot but we’ve never had a situation in the league where one player uses his skate blade as a weapon on another.
Simon had simple choice to make
Yesterday I compared skate blades to knives and even after having a day to consider if I was overreacting I still don’t think it is hyperbole. I can understand a punch to the head, I can understand (while I don’t approve or condone) a stick attack but what I can’t wrap my head around is using a sharp piece of steel as a weapon on another player, one lying in a prone and vulnerable position like Ruutu was. The incident was away from the play, right along the boards in between the Penguins and Islanders benches. Chris Simon at that specific moment had a simple choice to make … either step off the ice and into the bench or step on Ruutu. The decision he made was deliberate, violent, selfish and calculated. Thirty games for that? No way. Not in my opinion.
Well, how about criteria number two. Does this 30-game suspension in any way act as a deterrent for Chris Simon from ever doing this again? Well, considering how Simon just came off suspension for his attack of Ryan Hollweg, a suspension that set a benchmark and new record (since rivaled by Jesse Boulerice who is still sitting out 25 after cross-checking Canucks forward Ryan Kesler in the face) for suspensions in the league I would suggest not.
And what is the NHL’s response to Simon not calming his act down and committing a potentially more serious offence? His next suspension is 20 per cent more than the previous one was. This is a deterrent? Anyone think for one second that if Simon comes back he won’t do something like this again? I was born at night but not last night.
As well, shouldn’t the league be a little embarrassed that they let Simon play pre-season games and he got into an altercation with the same Ryan Hollweg for whom he was already serving a suspension? Should not that contempt for the league and Campbell have counted for something when coming up with an appropriate punishment?
Why shoot for the middle?
How this wasn’t at least a suspension for the full season is beyond me. Does the league not want to set the standard higher for this most serious aggression? Why always shoot for the middle?
Sticks are bats. But they can’t slice through pads.
Skates are knives. They can. Ask Clint Malarchuk if Steven Tuttle’s skate blade tickled.
Look, I’ve heard from everyone, including Colin Campbell on the Hockey Night in Canada Radio show yesterday, that Chris Simon is a great guy. Anyone who he comes in contact with says the same thing. I have never met Chris Simon but I have full confidence that this is the truth. I also believe (perhaps in naïve fashion) that nobody wakes up in the morning and says ‘you know what? Today, I’m really going to blow it and mess up my life and career.'
It is obvious that Chris Simon has problems and as Colin Campbell told our radio show yesterday he has entered an NHL sponsored program to address and attempt to correct those issues. He needs to be away from the game for a long time, maybe forever, to get his life back in order and to ensure that he doesn’t hurt anyone again. That is more important than playing hockey again. And considering Simon's age (35) and how much of a hot potato he is, a season long suspension would probably bring a close to his career.
Chris Simon does not need hockey right now, and the NHL certainly does not need him.
Hope you can join me, and today’s co-host Craig Simpson, for Hockey Night in Canada Radio at 4 p.m. ET on Sirius ch 122 for two hours of great hockey talk. Joining us on the show will be Team Canada Spengler Cup assistant coach and former NHLer Doug Gilmour.
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About the Author
Jeff Marek, one of sports talk radio's brightest stars, is the host of the all-new HNIC Radio on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. A twelve-year sports-talk radio veteran, the Toronto native provides intelligent hockey talk, insight and debate during the two-hour national daily drive-time hockey program.
Well known for his previous work on Leafs Lunch on AM 640 Toronto Radio, Marek is one of sports talk radio's most respected personalities. He joined AM 640 in 2000, hosting The Jeff Marek Show, a nightly open-line talk show, while working as the stations' morning news anchor. He quickly became the director of sports news and joined host Bill Watters on Leafs Lunch.
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- Friday, December 21, 2007
- Simon suspension falls short
- Thursday, December 20, 2007
- Moore/Bertuzzi case shines light on pro hockey's inner culture
- Wednesday, December 19, 2007
- Confusion within the unwritten rules of tough play
- Thursday, December 13, 2007
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- Monday, December 10, 2007
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Comments
John Mehlsen
With this type of incident, whether in Hockey or any other aspect of life, when those in charge (in this case Collin Campbell) are expected to use due diligence to protect the well being of others and it is later revealed their actions have fallen short of what may have been required, are they then ultimately the ones responsible? If Simon does come back and do something to end someones career, after this many suspensions, would he not be the liable party? While watching what has happened with Bertuzzi and all the league wranglings around the Moore incident, maybe the time has come to develop some president setting policy with some real teeth. I love the game of hockey but I have some real concerns as to where the NHL is leading our youth. I think it is time the NHL starts to take some responsibility. Also if the NHL is so positive there is no Steroid and drug abuse in the league then they should set the example for the world by implementing an independent drug testing policy with the highest standards of any. I do not want to see my sport in the same situation as Major League Baseball.
I realize my comments are too late for your program but my hope is that at some point you can raise the drug issue.
Thanks,
John
Posted December 20, 2007 06:33 PM
Curtis Levesque
Germany
From a hockey point of view, being in the EuroPro League, there are really no goons or enforcers, it is something I miss from North American hockey, so a lot more stick work and dirty charades happen out here. Sometimes I wish guys would just drop the mitts. The suspensions are more for fighting here, but it would eliminate some of the bs. We just caught this on the satellite, and I was astonished. What people watching the game do not know, it that there are instances where skates and sticks are used in “sly” ways that no one sees. This is the truth, a lot of guys I know go into the corner and have had opponents kick the backs of their skates etc. What Simon did, was a step above. I truly believe that it is also magnified and because of his history it is making it a bigger deal, and hell it is making him even more famous.
Does he regret it? Knowing Chris as a person, I know he feels guilt, however, you can only say I am sorry so many times. These are two MAJOR infractions back to back in the same year that were deliberate and plain stupid.
Chris, as in Bertuzzi’s case as well, will never be the player he was once before. Something happened upstairs in Simon’s head.
I go back to Ron Hextall. Do any fans out there ever watch Old Time Hockey fights. Check out YouTube some time. There is stuff that happens with sticks that is insane. Hextall full on Axe Swung his stick, and did not get but a few games suspension.
I would have respected Simon more if he would have dropped the mitts with Ruutu and danced, even though I know Ruutu would have Turtled because he is all mouth and no action, but at least pounding on him ALA Darcy Hordichuck on Avery, he would not have been suspended.
I feel for you Chris, but dude, I think it is time to hang them up.
Posted December 20, 2007 04:56 PM
Steve
Absolutely STUPID - very lucky to get 30 games
only. Obviously he hasn't learned anything from his previous suspensions. Will his next stupid act of agression be his last as a NHL player? Good-bye career.
Posted December 20, 2007 03:00 PM
Tobold
Toronto
The Chris Simon affair has embarrassed the league, but only because it has exposed our hypocrisy. The distinction between attacking someone with a skate blade, a stick, or a fist is arbitrary in terms of danger. A punch to the head is far more likely to kill someone than a lacerated foot. Yet we accept fighting. We even work sucker-punches to the head into the game - you get a penalty for it called 'roughing'.
Players who are unlucky enough to actually hurt someone with a sucker-punch will embarrass the league. These players become scapegoats for the hypocrisy of the sport, the league, and the fans.
Now if only Chris Simon had started a fight with Ruutu and killed him with a punch to the temple rather than try to lacerate his foot. That would have been an unfortunate result of an acceptable 'part of the game'.
Posted December 20, 2007 02:47 PM